Mexico City - A 9-month-old baby suffocated to death inside a car in the Mexican city of Saltillo, after his father forgot him there for seven hours, the Mexican daily La Vanguardia reported Friday.

The incident happened Thursday in Saltillo, about 850 kilometres north of Mexico City.

The man realized what had happened when - at the end of his working day - he went to the day care centre to pick up his son and was told that he had never got there in the morning.

"I had him in my car, I forgot to bring him!" the man reportedly said.

When he ran to the car it was too late. The man was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter.(dpa)